791 Bear, cleans up the mansion - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

We used the Bear Bus to descend the mountain and head towards Liese's house. We were to hand over the Ice Dragon materials at the house of Bollard, who was also the lord. Everyone disembarked from the Bear Bus and stood in front of Bollard's house. "Kagari, I'm sorry, but could you melt the ice on the gate door?" Kagari moved to the front of the gate at Liese's request. "The ice is beginning to melt, isn't it?" It's been about half a day since the Ice Dragon disappeared. With the Ice Dragon gone, it seems that the ice is starting to melt. The ice was already beginning to thaw, so the gate easily opened. "It's been years since the door was opened and we've walked through the gate." "Indeed." With a nostalgic air, Liese and her father Bollard walked through the gate, followed by us, Kagari, and the old men. When we reached the mansion, Kagari went ahead to melt the ice on the mansion's door. "This should open it." The door opened, and as we entered the mansion, we noticed the floor was beginning to get wet. "At this rate, we can't live here for a while." "The ice is melting faster than anticipated. If we tidy up a few rooms today, we should be able to secure a sleeping place for everyone." With the Ice Dragon gone, we would be active in the town from now on, so we decided to move our base of operations to Bollard's mansion. "We need to secure sleeping arrangements, but what about food supplies?" "I assumed the town was frozen too, but the ingredients that the young lady gave us will spoil." The old men asked Bollard. "There's a refrigerator, but whether it's usable..." "In that case, I'll leave some ice magic stones for you to use." I handed ice magic stones to the old men. Having defeated the Snow Golem, we had plenty of ice magic stones. Then we decided to split up and clean the rooms. Kagari and I worked together to open the doors on the first floor by melting the ice on them. Most of the ice on the doors was already thawing, so many doors opened easily. Afterward, Liese and I returned to the first-floor foyer to bring out the Ice Dragon materials. "Did you finish over there?" Upon returning to the foyer, we found Kagari there. "Yes, we're here to bring out the Ice Dragon materials." The materials were too large to be taken out in a room with tight corners, so we decided to use the spacious first-floor foyer. "Then please place it around here." Following Liese's instructions, I took the Ice Dragon's horns and scales out from the Bear Box and placed them in the foyer. Incidentally, the horns we brought were from the Ice Dragon that was defeated with help at the mountain peak. I wanted to keep the horns of the Ice Dragon I defeated myself. Thump. "Did you hear something from upstairs?" "Indeed, it came from above." Kagari turned her gaze toward the stairs. "Is someone upstairs?" "We've been here for a while, but no one has used the stairs." "Father and everyone else are tidying downstairs." "Then... could it be a monster?" Liese's voice rose in alarm. I should have summoned Kumayuru and Kumakyu earlier. I used my detection skill. There was a reaction, but it wasn't a monster. "Someone's there." "Who could it possibly be?" It didn't seem likely that anyone would be there. "I'll go have a look." "I'll join you." "I'm coming too." I walked in front, followed by Kagari and Liese. "It's that room." I pointed from a distance. There were two reactions. "That's the room where Mother used to stay." Indeed, it was. It was the room where Liese's mother and sister stayed. As we watched the door, it opened. "..." "..." "..." A woman staggered out. "Mother..." Liese slowly walked towards the woman. "Mother!" The woman looked our way. "Mother!" Liese hugged the woman. "Um, who might you be?" "Mother, it's me. Liese." "Liese?" The woman looked at Liese with a confused expression. "Is it really Liese?" "Mother~~~~~" Liese's voice echoed throughout the mansion. This prompted Bollard and the others to rush over. "…Lynse." "Is it you?" Bollard began walking slowly and embraced the woman he called Lynse, alongside Liese. "What's happening? This child looks like Liese." "Ah, without a doubt, she's our daughter, Liese." "..." The woman looked at Liese in surprise. "You were frozen for three years." "Frozen for three years..." The woman seemed unable to comprehend, looking bewildered as she gazed at Liese anew. "Is it true?" Perhaps she had no memory of being frozen, as if she merely woke from a slumber. "That's why both the room and I are soaking wet." Liese's mother's clothes were indeed wet. "How's your body?" "Well, it's just a bit sluggish." To think she's only feeling sluggish after being frozen for three years—her physical condition seems relatively unaffected. If someone were bedridden for three years, they would likely suffer from muscle atrophy making it difficult to walk, necessitating rehabilitation. Not to mention, being cryogenically frozen should mean being unable to survive. "Mother, have Father and Liese returned?" From the room Liese's mother had exited, a girl emerged. "Sister!" Liese hugged the girl, who looked like a smaller version of herself. "Uh, who?" "Sister~~~~~" "Uh, Liese?" "Sister~~~~~" "Is it really Liese?" "Yes, it's me, Liese." The old men, who had been observing from a distance, approached to engage in conversation. "What does this mean?" "Bollard's wife and daughter being alive means..." "Is it possible they were only frozen but not dead?" "Could our families be…?" The old men and Balan the fisherman's couple began to move. When checking with my detection skill again, there were human reactions everywhere. Does this mean they were cryogenically preserved but still alive? Normally, it would be impossible. Could it be because it was ice imbued with the Ice Dragon's magic power they survived? "Rua, are you feeling okay?" "Um, I'm a bit hungry though." Liese's sister said, touching her stomach. "Still, being frozen for three years is hard to believe." Lynse looked at Liese as she spoke. "It's definitely Liese. You appear slightly older. Or rather, more worn out, should I say?" "Well, I've been living in a mine for three years." "Is it really true?" Just then, the mansion's staff, who appeared to be working, arrived. "Lord Bollard, what is the situation here?" "The ice and water flooding…" Bollard gathered people in the entrance hall and began recounting the events of the past three years. He explained how the Ice Dragon appeared and settled at the mountain peak after laying eggs there. As a result, the city and its people ended up frozen in time. Three years passed, the baby hatched, and the Ice Dragon left, causing the ice around the town to melt. "What about the object in the entrance, Lord Bollard?" "It's the horn and scales of the Ice Dragon." Everyone listening was in disbelief, but the sight of the now-grown Liese and the Ice Dragon materials seemed to make them accept it, albeit skeptically. It wasn't long before someone sneezed, and noticing the wet clothes, Bollard instructed everyone to change. However, most of the clothes were damp due to being frozen. I used wind and fire magic to create a simple dryer to help dry everyone's clothes. Bollard, stating he would provide further explanations later, directed people to start cleaning the waterlogged mansion and preparing meals. "I'm sorry. I need to go check on the town. For details, please ask Liese." With a regretful tone, Bollard spoke to his wife, Lynse. It was clear he wished to be with his wife and daughter, but as the town's lord, his duties required him to inspect the town. "Yuna, Kagari, I apologize, but could you remain at the mansion a while longer?" With that, Bollard left the house. "Um, who might you two be?" Lynse looked at Kagari and me with renewed curiosity. "The one dressed in the bear outfit is Yuna, and the little girl is Kagari. They saved us," Liese answered on my behalf. "I see. Thank you for saving my daughter, Liese. I'm Lynse, Liese's mother." "I'm Rua, Liese's elder sister." With no growth for three years, they appeared reversed in age. Leaving the cleanup to the staff, Liese guided us to the guest rooms on the second floor. "Ugh, it's wet here too." "It seems every room was frozen; the same situation everywhere." "Everyone's doing their best to clean up, but…" It was going to take time. As Liese was fretting over the situation, Kagari spoke up. "Let me handle this." "Kagari?" "It won't be perfect, but it should improve." Kagari gestured dramatically with her hands, causing water droplets of various sizes to lift from the floors, walls, ceilings, and even the sofas. "Could you open a window, please?" "S-sure." In awe of the mesmerizing sight, Liese hurried to open a window. Kagari sent the collected water droplets out through it. "It still might be a bit damp, but it should do." "You're incredible for someone so little." Rua hugged Kagari tightly. "Stop that. Let go." Kagari pushed Rua away slightly, and settled on a now dry chair, prompting us to do the same.